Discussions By Condition: I cannot get a diagnosis.

38 day temple headache

I am a very healthy active happy 50 yr. old . On Oct 17, seemingly out of nowhere, I woke at 3:00 a.m with a weird, severe what I thought to be a migraine. except that any previous migraines have strarted in my neck and are almost always gone with one advil. This one was mostly in my face, bridge of nose, forehead and wicked right temple artery throbbing. No amount of advil, tylenol have worked at all.I have had all blood tests, clean. A cat scan, clean. MRI, MRA and this week a MRV is scheduled. so far all clean. also, no fever, just tired.I have been on prednisone for 3 days, only 1 day did I feel a little better. I suspect it isn't going to work. I'm to take it for 6 days. (6,5,4,3,2, 1 a day)The headache makes my stomach upset. It comes in waves, though a constant enlarged vein in my right temple. when it really acts up, usually in the middle of the night, the left temple starts throbbing as well.I'm terrified of getting hooked on drugs and am feeling at the end of my rope. this thing won't go away and hurts all the time. I feel the docs could care less now that they see all the test results are clean.Could this be a viral thing?any help would be appreciated, I haven't even been able to work out for 2 weeks now. The only good thing is I've lost a few pounds because I never feel like eating!

hi, thanks. the docs don't think I have temporal arteritis because my sed rate and c reactive are within normal ranges. there are no other symptoms of it except the vein throb and I am not in the "normal" age range also after 3 days on prednisone, there's not much change in the symptoms and from what i understand, if temporal arteritis is there it is affected fairly quickly by the prednisone. I did forget to mention that my eyes are also sore especially when looking up, almost like when you have achy flu symtoms

You may want to look into sinusitus as a potential cause. It's one of the most common diagnosed complaints today. I have it and have had all of the symptoms below. Now I don't get it as often because I discovered the culprit: eggs! Some possible symptoms from sinusitus--some of them can sound weird:Nausea, dizziness, feeling of a current running between top and bottom teeth (this is from the nerves being stimulated), one tooth aching one day and then a different tooth aching another, headaches above the eyes in the sinuses in the forehead, headaches behind the eyes, feelings of pressure behind the eyes, pain in the nose, cheekbone pain or tenderness, temple headaches, nausea when leaning forward or intense pressure when leaning forward, inability to get out of bed in the morning because of severe waking headaches, headaches that are worse after rain (because of released mold spores that can cause sinusitus), dizziness (especially side to side rather than spinning--if you have spinning dizziness definitely go get that checked out).By the way, was your first onset after eating ice cream? I've read that for many people sinusitus can manifest the first time because of this food. I know this sounds weird. If you do find out that it is sinusitus look into the book Sinus Survival.

I want to add one more thing to the last post. I reread your post and noticed that you are very athletic. Do you ride a bike outdoors? It's not uncommon for very athletic healthy people to have sinusitus and the doctor who wrote Sinus Survival noticed a lot of bicyclists get it. One of his patients I think was an Olympic bicyclist.Many bicyclists get it because their faces are exposed to cold wind, but I've known runners who suffer from it. My first episode came on during a cold winter when I was riding my bike to college and my forehead was unprotected from the wind. I was never diagnosed then, but I ended up with such a painful frontal headache that was present for days and got so bad that my boyfriend rushed me to the hospital when I became delirious with pain. (I also had sensitivity to light). After that I always wore a balaclava.Anyway, I don't want to sound like I am any expert. You just never mentioned that they had ruled it out and the nausea and forehead pain is a strong indicator (sinuses drain to the stomach and can cause nausea). One other symptom can be sensitivity to strong smells that you weren't sensitive to before or worsened sensitivity to ones you were sensitive to (e.g. tobacco smoke, roofing tar).I hope you solve your problem.

hi, thank you so much for replying. we thought it was sinuses but I really am thinking I have a viral infection. I looked up viral headaches and found some people that have the same symptoms. the vein in the temple is the most worrisome to me. it just flares up and throbs sending pain through my forehead, the bridge of my nose and my cheek bones and eyes. my nose is and has been completely clear, no stuffiness or otherwise. the nausea is defineatly not mucus drain.I don't ride a bike or eat ice cream either! the prednisone has calmed it down, I'm hoping it goes away after my last dose which is tomorrow...

Hi,I get the same symptoms to, accept maybe not quite as painful as you describe, more like a slight pressure and aching feeling in the places you said, (the level of aching is varibale, sometimes worse than other times) such as cheeckbones, temple, nose bridge, and i do most times get that trobbing vein in the temple when i have it. It gets annoying. Im wondering what to do and what it is too.

Same symptons. I havn't been to doc yet - I don't have a good one. Probably not relavant, but I had a deer tic imbed under my skin. Head broke off and remained imbedded for a week. Only other sympton is loss of energy. The tic was over a year ago and no ring developed around the site. For what it's worth.

I am 32 years old and have the exact symptoms as you describe. I have had 3 mri's, 2 ct scans and even a spinal tap. I had my 3rd child in August - had a c-section. My symptoms started a month later. There is something called spinal headache that can be cured with a procedure known as a blood patch but unfortunately you have to go through several tests before this can be performed. (simple procedure - they take blood from your arm and put it back in the site where the spinal was performed. I have seen my OB, Family doctor, neurologist, endocrinologist, as well as a chirpractor. The endocrinologist ran several blood tests and it turns out that my Vitamin D level is extremly low. I have started taking vitamin D - 1000 IU daily along with a prescribed dose of 50,000. I started feeling better for about 2 weeks and now the symptoms are back but not constant - it comes and goes. I have never experienced anything like this before. I've been told they are migraines and it could take several different types of medicines before I find the one that works. I don't like taking pills, and they have tried me on several different medications and nothing even touches the pain. I struggle every day at work - sometimes just keeping my eyes open. I would see if you can have some blood work done because it may just simply be that you have some sort of vitamin deficiency. I hope this helps...let me know if you find a cure

Your type of headache can also be caused by an eye problem such as Glaucoma which is not detectable with MRI's etc. The symptoms are headache, nausea, eye pain, temporal headache or pain, plus many other symptoms.

Hi i just went to the doctor for the same symptoms as you mine started off in my mouth i thought it was an abscessed tooth took antibiotics and it didn't go away ....then i started waking up at 2:30 and 3 in the morning with a pain shooting through my temples and the vein bulging out ...i have migraines and this was way worse ...anyway i went to the emergency room and they tell me i have been under to much stress and i have TMJ now its kinda weird because my jaw doesn't hurt my whole mouth inside my gums and teeth were sore and my headache wouldnt go away but they gave me a cortisone shot and it all seems to be gone... i have never been known to grind my teeth that i know of so i kinda thought TMJ was a weird diagnosis but the shot has helped so maybe you should check and make sure you don't have this :(

I used to work with a woman who's husband had a lot of these symptoms, he was diagnosed with "cluster headaches". They were very severe and debilitating and would come in waves, lasting months sometimes. You might want to research these types of headaches.

Same symptons. I havn't been to doc yet - I don't have a good one. Probably not relavant, but I had a deer tic imbed under my skin. Head broke off and remained imbedded for a week. Only other sympton is loss of energy. The tic was over a year ago and no ring developed around the site. For what it's worth.you may have lyme disease, probably should get that checked out.

I have the same symptoms for over 3 months. Pretty much took the same test as others. But what is interesting, is when I was getting a massage I mentioned my headache and she said it could be TMJ. Now from reading several sites about pain the the right temple, I see that she may be on to something.When I wake up in the mornings my jaw is sore and my gums and teeth don't feel normal. Today, the headache struck and my mouth is sore. I think I will start monitoring this to see what the correlation is.I do have an appointment with a neurlogist next week, but I am wondering if I should see an Orthodontist first.

hi, thank you so much for replying. we thought it was sinuses but I really am thinking I have a viral infection. I looked up viral headaches and found some people that have the same symptoms. the vein in the temple is the most worrisome to me. it just flares up and throbs sending pain through my forehead, the bridge of my nose and my cheek bones and eyes. my nose is and has been completely clear, no stuffiness or otherwise. the nausea is defineatly not mucus drain.I don't ride a bike or eat ice cream either! the prednisone has calmed it down, I'm hoping it goes away after my last dose which is tomorrow...I am hving these same strange symptoms...I have had them befroe, but this time the headaches were so bad I thought I was pregnant and started having bad anxiety...(i get migraines with pregnancy). What is very strange is that thios is thr first time I have ever had a headache in one side...my left, right on the side by my eye...It is so painful I want to scream...when its not throbbing, it just feels like pressure...pain varies...I have had a lot of nose, eye pain...I can breath thru my nose okay, but it does feel "stuffy", if that makes sense. Its the weekend , so i can get into my doctor, but considering the ER...I ahve noticed these headaches now for a couple weeks again. last time I ahd them, they just said stress, maybe allergies...i diont think my Doctor knows whats shes doing though!Any advice? If it were sinnutus, would sudafed help?TIA Jenna

Greetings, I'd like to say that many of you are describing symptoms of the becoming-more-prevalent condition attributed to yeasts of the family Candida. Known as candidiasis or CRC (Candida related complex) the typical symptoms include those associated with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and also comprising migrane headaches, general bowel distention, high sensitivity to environmental allergens (such as fragrances, smoke, etc.), abnormal food sensitivities, and intense cravings for sweets and simple carbohydrates.I bring this condition to light because I've been suffering for over a year now with this predicament. I've almost reclaimed internal balance, yet I still get the seemingly 38-day migrane headaches localized to the peripheral area comprising the base of my skull and temples. I also know all-too-well the unrelenting fatigue and the countless lab tests, MRIs, CAT scans that yield no apparent culprit of the suffering.It was my general practitioner, just recently graduated from med school (and whose partner in her practice is a DO), who thought to perform a yeast stool sample: culprit identified. Although yeast stool cultures are crude measures of incidence they do have some value. I understand that there are more scrutinizing blood tests that allow for relative quantification, but I have no experience with these. We westerners eat diets abnormally high in sugar and simple carbohydrates which fuel the naturally-occurring yeasts in our intestines. Additionally, western medicine tends to favor the liberal distribution of powerful antibiotics as quick-fixes to various ailments that really just require rest, patience, and proper diet. The result: a decimation of our beneficial/good intestinal flora (mostly consisting of bacteria - ANTIbiotics, remember?) and a gross restructuring of our gastro-intestinal ecology where Candida dominates, proliferates and may infect other areas of the human body (e.g. brain, spine, vital organs, reproductive system, etc).Perhaps some of you with the above-mentioned symptoms will have an "aha" moment and realize that medicines you're taking (including powerful antibiotics, steroids, contraceptives) augment your symptoms. This is my experience. Additionally, a general red flag for internal yeast infection/overgrowth is high sensitivity and/or affinity for refined sugar. Sugar, sugar, sugar is inextricably linked to yeast.I hope this posting helps. Sincerely,a fellow sufferer attempting to spread awarenessStay Positive.

Hi everyone,I have had bad sinusitus with bad headaches at the back and front of my head. Medication did not help, but miraculously steam baths got rid of the headache completely. Get a big bowl and fill it half way with boiling water. Put mint or ecalyptus oil in, and then put a towl over your head. Just breath in the steam for 10 mins. Keep your face 18 inches from the water. The moisture dislodges the trapped mucous and releases the pressure in your head.